Insights Daily Current Events, 24 June 2015

According to a recent report released by UK Trade and Industry (UKTI), India has emerged as the third largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for United Kingdom (UK) after United States (US) and France in terms of number of projects in 2014-15.

Details of the report:

The U.S. has remained the largest source of inward investment, with a total of 564 projects in 2014-15, followed by France (124 projects) and India (122 projects).

During the year 2014-15, investment from India increased by 65%. This resulted in creation of 7,730 jobs as well as protection of 1,620 jobs.

The key sectors where Indian companies invested include healthcare, agri-tech, food and drink.

The report also says that 70 countries invested a record £1 trillion in UK in 2014-15, making it Europe’s top FDI destination.

The annual investment figures from UKTI for the 2014-15 financial year show that UK has attracted 12 per cent more FDI projects compared to the previous year.

Sources: The Hindu.

MOM completes 100th orbit around Mars

The Indian Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) recently completed its 100th orbit around Mars.

Launched from Indian spaceport of Sriharikota on November 5, 2013, MOM reached the red planet in September last year and has outlived its planned mission life of six months in a Martian orbit.

About Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM):

The MOM, India’s first interplanetary mission, was launched by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The Mission is primarily technological mission considering the critical mission operations and stringent requirements on propulsion and other bus systems of spacecraft.

The major objective of the mission was to explore Mars surface features, morphology, mineralogy and Martian atmosphere by indigenous scientific instruments.

This mission made India to become one of the four nations in the world to send space mission to Planet Mars.

India became the first country in the world to insert a spacecraft into the Martian orbit in its very first attempt.

About PSLV:

It is the first operational launch vehicle of ISRO. PSLV is capable of launching 1600 kg satellites in 620 km sun-synchronous polar orbit and 1050 kg satellite in geo-synchronous transfer orbit.

PSLV has four stages using solid and liquid propulsion systems alternately. The first stage is one of the largest solid propellant boosters in the world and carries 139 tonnes of propellant.

There had been 26 continuously successful flights of PSLV.

Sources: The Hindu, Wiki, Isro.

Delhi Govt invokes ESMA to end strike

The Delhi Government recently invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to end the two-day-old strike by resident doctors.

About ESMA:

The Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) is an act of Parliament of India. It is a central law.

It was established to ensure the delivery of certain services, which if obstructed would affect the normal life of the people. These include services like public transport (bus services), health services (doctors and hospitals).

Although it is a very powerful law, its execution rests entirely on the discretion of the State government. Each state in the union of India, hence has a separate state Essential Services Maintenance Act with slight variations from the central law in its provisions. This freedom is accorded by the central law itself.

Sources: The Hindu, Wiki.

Nawab zoo and Azad bird sanctuary in U.P.

The UP government has renamed the Lucknow Prani Udyan, popularly known as Lucknow Zoo, as “Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Prani Udyan, Lucknow,” making it the first official move — since Independence — to name a monument after a Nawab of Oudh, or Avadh. The Lucknow Zoo was established in 1921 and was named after England’s Prince of Wales as “Prince of Wales Zoological Gardens.”

Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was the last Nawab of Oudh before the province was annexed by the British under the policy of Doctrine of Lapse in 1856. He was banished to Matia Burj in Bengal.

A decision was also taken to rename the Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary in Unnao district after revolutionary freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad. The bird sanctuary will now be known as “ Shaheed Chandra Shekhar Azad Pakshi Vihar, Nawabganj.”

Though Chandra Shekhar Azad was born in Alirajpur district in Madhya Pradesh (July 23, 1906), his father, Sitaram Tiwari, belonged to Badarka village in Unnao district. It was on account of his parental ties with Unnao district that the bird sanctuary has been named after him.

Sources: The Hindu.

SAFAR app to provide air quality forecast, health advisories

Union minister for Science & Technology and Earth Science Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan recently launched SAFAR-Mumbai, a monitoring and forecast system conceived to provide three days weather information with health advisories, levels of UV radiation and pollution among others.

Abput System of Air Quality & weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR):

It has been developed by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, in association with Regional Meteorological Center Mumbai-IMD, and the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM).

SAFAR-Mumbai will deliver services, by translating technical data into information, like colour-coded index based current and 3-days forecast with health advisories, severity of UV radiation with associated skin advisories, current and 3-days advance forecast, tidal levels and severe weather alert for extreme pollution and weather events, and accounting location-wise sources of air pollution.

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Review

Question 1 of 4

1. Question

With reference to the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), consider the following statements:

With this mission, India became the first country in the world to insert a spacecraft into the Martian orbit in its very first attempt.

Mars Orbiter Spacecraft was launched on board PSLV-C25.

This mission made India to become the 2nd country in the world to send space mission to Planet Mars.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a) 2 and 3 Only

b) 1 and 3 Only

c) 1 and 2 Only

d) All

Correct

Solution: c)

Explanation: This mission made India to become one of the four nations in the world to send space mission to Planet Mars.

Incorrect

Solution: c)

Explanation: This mission made India to become one of the four nations in the world to send space mission to Planet Mars.

Question 2 of 4

2. Question

With reference to the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), consider the following statements:

It is a central law and can only be enacted by the central government.

Essential services under the act include public transport and health services.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a) 1 Only

b) 2 Only

c) Both

d) None

Correct

Solution: b)

Explanation: The execution of ESMA rests on the discretion of the State government. Each state in the union of India, hence has a separate state Essential Services Maintenance Act with slight variations from the central law in its provisions. This freedom is accorded by the central law itself.

Incorrect

Solution: b)

Explanation: The execution of ESMA rests on the discretion of the State government. Each state in the union of India, hence has a separate state Essential Services Maintenance Act with slight variations from the central law in its provisions. This freedom is accorded by the central law itself.

Question 3 of 4

3. Question

Consider the following statements:

Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was the last Nawab of Oudh before the province was annexed by the British under the policy of Doctrine of Lapse in 1856.